Abstract:

A computer implemented user contribution method is provided. The method
includes receiving identifying information from a plurality of users and
receiving from the plurality of users indications of one or more
geographic areas. A quality value of the one or more geographic areas is
determined based on the indications of the one or more geographic areas
from the plurality of users, and the quality value is transmitted to one
or more of the plurality of users. The present invention further provides
a user contribution based mapping system.

Claims:

1. A computer-implemented user contribution method comprising:receiving
identifying information from a plurality of users;receiving from the
plurality of users indications of at least one geographic
area;determining a quality value of the at least one geographic area
based on the indications of the at least one geographic area from the
plurality of users; andtransmitting the quality value of the at least one
geographic area to at least one of the plurality of users.

2. The computer-implemented user contribution method of claim 1, further
comprising:receiving the identifying information as a plurality of user
identifying criteria comprising at least one of a user address, a user
age, a user gender, and a user occupation from the plurality of users;
anddetermining the quality value further based on the plurality of user
identifying criteria of the plurality of users.

3. The computer-implemented user contribution method of claim 1, further
comprising:receiving the identifying information as a plurality of user
identifying criteria from the plurality of users;receiving from the at
least one of the plurality of users an indication of at least one
preferred user identifying criteria; anddetermining the quality value of
the at least one geographic area based on at least one indication of the
at least one geographic area received from at least one of the plurality
of users corresponding to the at least one preferred user identifying
criteria.

4. The computer-implemented user contribution method of claim 1, further
comprising:comparing the quality value of the at least one geographic
area with a predetermined range and determining whether the quality value
falls within the predetermined range;receiving mobile device location
information of a user mobile device from at least one of the user mobile
device and a remote telecommunication carrier server in communication
with the user mobile device indicating that the user mobile device has
entered the at least one geographic area; andtransmitting an indication
to the at least one of the plurality of users that the user mobile device
has entered the at least one geographic area if the quality value of the
at least one geographic area falls within the predetermined range.

5. The computer-implemented user contribution method of claim 1, further
comprising:receiving an indication of a predetermined range from a
user;comparing the quality value of the at least one geographic area with
the predetermined range and determining whether the quality value falls
within the predetermined range;receiving mobile device location
information of a user mobile device from at least one of the user mobile
device and a remote telecommunication carrier server in communication
with the user mobile device indicating that the user mobile device has at
least one of entered and exited the at least one geographic area;
andtransmitting an indication to the user that the user mobile device has
at least one of entered and exited the at least one geographic area if
the quality value of the at least one geographic area falls within the
predetermined range.

6. The computer-implemented user contribution method of claim 1, further
comprising:receiving from the at least one of the plurality of users an
indication of a predetermined range;comparing the quality value with the
predetermined range and determining whether the quality value falls
within the predetermined range;receiving mobile device location
information of a user mobile device from at least one of the user mobile
device and a remote telecommunication carrier server in communication
with the user mobile device; andtransmitting a warning to the at least
one of the plurality of users if the location information indicates that
the user mobile device has entered the at least one geographic area and
if the quality value of the at least one geographic area falls within the
predetermined range.

7. The computer-implemented user contribution method of claim 6, further
comprising transmitting a map to the user mobile device displaying the at
least one geographic area and displaying whether the quality value of the
at least one geographic area falls within the predetermined range.

8. The computer-implemented user contribution method of claim 1, further
comprising:receiving from the at least one of the plurality of users an
indication of a predetermined range;comparing the quality value with the
predetermined range and determining whether the quality value falls
within the predetermined range;receiving mobile device location
information of a user mobile device from at least one of the user mobile
device and a remote telecommunication carrier server in communication
with the user mobile device; andtransmitting a warning to the user mobile
device if the location information indicates that the user mobile device
has entered the at least one geographic area and if the quality value of
the at least one geographic area falls within the predetermined range.

9. The computer-implemented user contribution method of claim 1, further
comprising:receiving from the at least one of the plurality of users an
indication of a predetermined range;comparing the quality value with the
predetermined range and determining whether the quality value falls
within the predetermined range;receiving mobile device location
information of a user mobile device from at least one of the user mobile
device and a remote telecommunication carrier server in communication
with the user mobile device;transmitting a map to the user mobile device
displaying the at least one geographic area and displaying whether the
quality value of the at least one geographic area falls within the
predetermined range; andtransmitting an indication to the at least one of
the plurality of users that the user mobile device has at least one of
entered and exited the at least one geographic area if the quality value
of the at least one geographic area falls within the predetermined range.

10. The computer-implemented user contribution method of claim 1, further
comprising:receiving from the at least one of the plurality of users an
indication of a predetermined range;comparing the quality value with the
predetermined range and determining whether the quality value falls
within the predetermined range;receiving mobile device location
information of a user mobile device from at least one of the user mobile
device and a remote telecommunication carrier server in communication
with the user mobile device;transmitting a map to the user mobile device
displaying the at least one geographic area and displaying whether the
quality value of the at least one geographic area falls within the
predetermined range; andtransmitting an indication of a reward to the
user mobile device if the quality value of the at least one geographic
area falls within the predetermined range and if the location information
indicates that the user mobile device has not entered the at least one
geographic area during a predetermined time period.

11. The computer-implemented user contribution method of claim 1, further
comprising establishing a user account for each of the plurality of users
using the identifying information.

12. The computer-implemented user contribution method of claim 1, wherein
receiving the indications of at least one geographic area comprises
receiving at least one rating of the at least one geographic area, and
wherein the quality value is determined based on the at least one rating.

13. The computer-implemented user contribution method of claim 12, wherein
receiving the indications of at least one geographic area further
comprises receiving an indication of an address.

14. The computer-implemented user contribution method of claim 12, further
comprising receiving the at least one rating of the at least one
geographic area as an indication that the at least one geographic area is
at least one of residential and commercial.

15. The computer-implemented user contribution method of claim 12, further
comprising receiving the at least one rating of the at least one
geographic area as a safety rating.

16. The computer-implemented user contribution method of claim 1, wherein
receiving the indications of at least one geographic area comprises
receiving a plurality of ratings of the at least one geographic area from
the plurality of users, and wherein the quality value is determined as an
average of the plurality of ratings from the plurality of users.

17. The computer-implemented user contribution method of claim 1, further
comprising transmitting through a computer network a map to the at least
one of the plurality of users displaying the at least one geographic area
and the quality value of the at least one geographic area in relation to
a surrounding area.

18. A user contribution based mapping system comprising at least one
computing device including at least one memory comprising instructions
operable to enable the computing device to perform a procedure
comprising:receiving identifying information from at least a first user
and a second user;receiving from the at least the first user and the
second user indications of at least one geographic area;determining a
quality value of the at least one geographic area based on the
indications of the at least one geographic area from the at least the
first user and the second user; andtransmitting the quality value of the
at least one geographic area to a third user.

19. The user contribution based mapping system of claim 18, wherein the at
least one memory further comprises instructions operable to enable
receiving from the third user at least one indication of the at least one
geographic area.

Description:

BACKGROUND

[0001]As increasingly unfettered mobility has become a normal part of
modern life, people frequently desire to determine a quality of a
particular travel destination. They may want to know typical traffic
conditions of a particular road, whether a particular neighborhood is
safe and accommodating to children, or whether a particular area is more
residential or commercial in nature. Someone may desire this information
for their own direct benefit, or alternatively, for use in supervising
travel of others who they are responsible for, such as their children or
employees. Teachers or parents may require that children for whom they
are responsible avoid certain locations or adhere to certain pre-defined
routes on their way to and from school or other destinations. Employers,
in an effort to enhance worker productivity, may wish to enforce
schedules defining where employees should be at particular times during
the work day.

[0002]Locatable mobile devices such as mobile telephones, cellular-enabled
personal computers and GPS systems provide reliable means to determine
the location of a user. It would be desirable to provide effective
methods for determining a quality of a particular geographic area and for
establishing and maintaining mobility control over a user of a locatable
mobile device.

SUMMARY

[0003]The present invention provides a computer implemented user
contribution method. The method includes receiving identifying
information from a plurality of users and receiving from the plurality of
users indications of one or more geographic areas. A quality value of the
one or more geographic areas is determined based on the indications of
one or more geographic areas from the plurality of users, and the quality
value is transmitted to one or more of the plurality of users.

[0004]The present invention further provides a user contribution based
mapping system including a computing device with a memory having
instructions operable to enable the computing device to perform a
procedure. The procedure includes receiving identifying information from
at least a first user and a second user and receiving from at least the
first user and the second user indications of at least one geographic
area. The procedure further includes determining a quality value of the
at least one geographic area based on the indications of the at least one
geographic area and transmitting the quality value to a third user.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING(S)

[0005]The foregoing Summary as well as the following detailed description
will be readily understood in conjunction with the appended drawings
which illustrate preferred embodiments of the invention. In the drawings:

[0006]FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of an exemplary operating
environment in which a user contribution based mapping system is operable
according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0007]FIGS. 2-3 are plan views of an example city streetscape in which the
preferred system of FIG. 1 is implemented.

[0008]FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing a computer-implemented user
contribution method according to a preferred embodiment of the present
invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S)

[0009]Certain terminology is used in the following description for
convenience only and is not limiting. The words "a" and "one" are defined
as including one or more of the referenced item unless specifically
stated otherwise. This terminology includes the words above specifically
mentioned, derivatives thereof, and words of similar import. The phrase
"at least one" followed by a list of two or more items, such as A, B, or
C, means any individual one of A, B or C as well as any combination
thereof.

[0010]The preferred embodiments of the present invention are described
below with reference to the drawing figures where like numerals represent
like elements throughout.

[0011]Referring to FIG. 1, a schematic illustration is shown of an
exemplary operating environment 10 in which a preferred system for
implementing user contribution based mapping in the form of a location
server 12 may be used. The location server 12 includes one or more
computing devices and one or more memory devices, which computing devices
and memory devices may be integrally constructed or connected in any
suitable manner, for example via a network. The location server 12
provides a platform which enables a location application program
interface (API) 16, a management API 18, a mapping engine 20, and a
rewards engine 22.

[0012]The management API 18 is configured to receive identifying
information from a plurality of contributing users through respective
contributing user clients 30, such as personal computers, mobile
telephone devices, or global positioning system (GPS) enabled devices,
via a network connection, which network connection is preferably an
Internet network connection. The identifying information of each user
preferably includes a plurality of user identifying criteria including
one or more of a user address, a user age, a user gender, and a user
occupation. Alternatively, the identifying information can include any
suitable user identifying criteria. The management API 18 is preferably
configured to establish a plurality of contributing user accounts using
the identifying information of the contributing users.

[0013]The management API 18 is further configured to receive from each of
the plurality of contributing users via respective contributing user
clients 30 an indication of one or more geographic areas. The indication
of one or more geographic areas preferably includes one or more
geographic areas and a rating of the one or more geographic areas. The
one or more geographic areas may be designated by a user as an address, a
plurality of addresses, a road or street, a plurality of roads or streets
bounding an area, one or more neighborhoods or landmarks, or an area
surrounding or in proximity to an address, a neighborhood or a landmark.
The rating may include an indication that the one or more geographic
areas are residential or commercial. The rating may alternatively include
an indication of a perceived or actual level of safety of the one or more
geographic areas. The rating is preferably received through the
management API 18 as a scaled numeric indication within a predetermined
range. For example, a contributing user may rate a particular area on a
numeric scale from 1 to 5 for perceived safety, perceived concentration
of residences, perceived concentration of commercial establishments,
perceived vehicular congestion, or perceived availability of sidewalks.

[0014]The mapping engine 20 is configured to determine a quality value of
the one or more geographic areas based on the indication of the one or
more geographic areas from the plurality of contributing users.
Preferably the quality value is determined as an average of the ratings
received from the plurality of contributing users for an indicated
geographic area. For example, if for a particular geographic area the
management API 18 receives ratings from three different contributing
users, the mapping engine 20 can average the ratings of the three users
to generate a quality value for the particular geographic area. The
mapping engine 20 preferably generates a map including one or more
geographic areas and the determined quality values associated with each
of the one or more geographic areas based on the indications received
from a plurality of contributing users. The quality value of the one or
more geographic areas is transmitted, preferably in the form of a map,
via the management API 18 to one or more of the plurality of contributing
users. The one or more of the plurality of users to whom a quality value
of a particular geographic area is transmitted need not to have provided
an indication of the particular geographic area for which the quality
value is determined, but may have provided an indication of another
geographic area. The quality value of the one or more geographic areas
may further be transmitted to a user who did not contribute any
indication of a geographic area. In such manner a user may benefit from
the impressions of other users regarding a particular geographic area.

[0015]The mapping engine 20 preferably further determines the quality
value based on the plurality of user identifying criteria received from
each of the plurality of contributing users. The management API 18 is
configured to receive an indication of one or more preferred user
identifying criteria from a user who desires to receive a quality value
for one or more geographic areas. The mapping engine 20 can thereafter
determine the quality value of the one or more geographic areas based on
the indication of the one or more geographic areas received from those of
the plurality of users corresponding to the one or more preferred
identifying criteria. For example, an indication of a preferred user
identifying criterion received from a user may include a preferred user
age group of 16-24 years in age. In such example, the mapping engine 20
uses the indication of one or more geographic areas received from ones of
the plurality of users corresponding to the age group of 16-24 years to
determine the quality value. In another example, an indication of a
preferred identifying criterion may include a designated neighborhood,
wherein the mapping engine 20 uses the indication of one or more
geographic areas received from ones of the plurality of users living in
the designated neighborhood to determine the quality value.

[0016]The management API 18 is preferably further configured to establish
an overseer user account using identifying information of an overseeing
user, and a subject user account using identifying information of a
subject user, associated with a subject user mobile device 40, whom the
overseeing user desires to track. The location server 12 is configured to
receive the identifying information of the overseeing user and subject
user through the management API 18 from an overseer user client 32
operated by the overseeing user, such as a personal computer, mobile
telephone device, or global positioning system (GPS) enabled device, via
a network connection, which network connection is preferably an Internet
network connection. As set forth in this description, an overseeing user
may include a person, for example a parent, guardian, or employer of a
subject user. Alternatively, the overseeing user may include a
non-person, for example a computing device configured to implement
oversight requirements of a parent, guardian or employer of a subject
user, or configured to enforce rules of a game in which a subject user is
participating. The overseeing user is preferably a contributing user, and
accordingly, the overseer user client 32 and contributing user client 30
are preferably a single user client. Alternatively, the overseeing user
need not be a contributing user.

[0017]The received identifying information of the subject user and
overseeing user may be personal and/or specific to a mobile device used
by the subject user or overseer user. The received subject user
identifying information preferably includes one or more of the name of
the subject user, a telephone number associated with the subject user
mobile device 40, a telecommunication carrier identifier, for example an
account number, associated with the subject user mobile device 40 used to
establish a connection with a telecommunication carrier providing service
for the subject user mobile device 40, and a device-specific identifier
of the subject user mobile device 40. A device-specific identifier, such
as a MAC address, is required for embodiments of the invention in which
the subject user mobile device 40 is not associated with any
telecommunication carrier, for example a stand-alone GPS device not
requiring telecommunication carrier service. Similarly, the received
overseeing user identifying information preferably includes one or more
of the name of the overseer user, a telephone number associated with a
mobile device used by the overseer user, a telecommunication carrier
identifier, and a device-specific identifier of an overseer user's mobile
device.

[0018]The management API 18 preferably provides an interface to the
overseer user through a client application running on the overseer user
client 32, an interface to the contributing user through a client
application running on the contributing user client 30, and an interface
to the subject user through a client application running on the subject
user mobile device 40. Alternatively, the overseer user client 32 and
contributing user client 30 may be provided as a single user client
running one or more client applications. The client application or
applications preferably include a web client application, WAP client
application, short message service (SMS) application, interactive voice
response (IVR) application or other suitable client application, which
client applications may include firmware or software downloadable to the
subject user mobile device 40, the overseer user client 32, or the
contributing user client 30.

[0019]As indicated above, the mapping engine 20 preferably generates a map
including one or more geographic areas and the quality values associated
with each of the one or more geographic areas. A quality value can be
generated based on one or more preferred contributing user identifying
criteria provided by the overseeing user through the overseer user client
32. The map which includes one or more geographic areas and quality
values associated with each of the one or more geographic areas is
transmitted to the overseer user client 32 via the management API 18.

[0020]The location server 12 is further configured to receive via the
management API 18 an indication of one or more geographic areas from the
overseer user client 32, the one or more geographic areas preferably
corresponding to areas which the subject user is permitted to travel or
not permitted to travel by the overseeing user. The location server 12 is
preferably configured to receive information including one or more rules
sets from the overseer user client 32 defining the desired behavior of
the subject user with respect to the one or more geographic areas and
providing indications of periods of time when the desired behaviors are
applicable to the travel of the subject user. The location server 12 is
further configured to transmit information to the subject user mobile
device 40, including the geographic areas, rules sets, and periods of
time, to provide the subject user with notification of the required
travel behaviors.

[0021]The indication of one or more geographic areas received from the
overseeing user client 32 by the location server 12 preferably includes
an indication of a predetermined range of the quality value, which
quality value as described above is determined based on the indications
of one or more geographic areas received from the plurality of
contributing users through the contributing user clients 30. The
indication of one or more geographic areas received from the overseeing
user client 32 preferably further includes an indication of whether the
geographic areas corresponding to quality values within the predetermined
range correspond to areas within which the subject user is allowed to
travel or not allowed to travel. For example, if a quality value is
generated on a scale of 1 to 5 by the mapping engine 20 based on
indications from contributing users, an overseeing user may provide to
the location server 12 an indication of a predetermined range of 4 to 5
and designate geographic areas having quality values determined to be
within the predetermined range of 4 to 5 as not allowable for a subject
user to travel within.

[0022]The indication of the predetermined range is stored in a database
configured via the mapping engine 20. Preferably, the quality values of
the one or more geographic areas are compared with the predetermined
range to determine whether the quality values fall within the
predetermined range. The location server 12 is preferably configured to
receive via the location API 16 location information of the subject user
mobile device 40 from a location based service (LBS) infrastructure 50 of
a telecommunication carrier providing telecommunication service to the
subject user mobile device 40. The LBS infrastructure 50 preferably
receives the location information or data required to generate the
location information from the subject user mobile device 40.
Alternatively, the location server 12 may receive location information of
the subject user mobile device 40 directly from the subject user mobile
device 40, especially in instances where the mobile device 40 is a
stand-alone device. Alternatively, the location server may receive
location information from any suitable source in contact with the subject
user mobile device 40. Preferably, the LBS infrastructure 50 or subject
user mobile device 40 transmits location information to the location
server 12 in the form of latitude and longitude of the subject user
mobile device 40, which latitude and longitude may be determined via
known methods such as tower-based or satellite (GPS) triangulation.

[0023]At the option of an overseeing user, if the location information
received via the location API 16 indicates that the subject user mobile
device 40 has entered a geographic area corresponding to a quality value
falling within the predetermined range, an indication is transmitted to
the overseeing user through the overseer user client 32 via the
management API 18 notifying the overseeing user of the position of the
subject user mobile device 40. Alternatively at the option of an
overseeing user, an indication is transmitted to the overseeing user if
the location information indicates that the subject user mobile device 40
has exited a geographic area corresponding to a quality value falling
within the predetermined range. Alternatively at the option of an
overseeing user, an indication is transmitted to the overseeing user if
the location information indicates that the subject user mobile device 40
has failed to enter or exit a geographic area corresponding to a quality
value falling within the predetermined range. Moreover, at the option of
an overseeing user, a warning is transmitted to the subject user mobile
device 40 via the management API 18 if the location information indicates
that the subject user mobile device 40 has entered or exited, or failed
to enter or exit, a geographic area corresponding to a quality value
falling within the predetermined range. Preferably, a map is transmitted
to the subject user mobile device 40 via the management API 18 displaying
the one or more geographic areas and displaying in a suitable manner
whether the quality value of the one or more geographic areas falls
within the predetermined range provided by the overseeing user. The map
transmitted to the subject user mobile device 40 preferably indicates
whether the one or more geographic areas are designated by the overseer
user as allowable or not allowable for travel by the subject user based
on whether the quality value of the one or more geographic areas falls
within the predetermined range. Accordingly, an overseeing user through
the overseeing user client 32 can communicate a desire to the subject
user through the subject user mobile device 40 via the management API 18
that the subject user is not permitted to enter or not permitted to leave
a geographic area corresponding to a quality value falling within the
predetermined range.

[0024]The management API 18 is further configured to transmit an
instruction to the reward engine 22 to generate an indication of a reward
if the location information indicates that the subject user mobile device
40 has entered or exited, or failed to enter or exit, depending on
preference of an overseeing user, a geographic area corresponding to a
quality value falling within the predetermined range. The indication of a
reward preferably includes an indication of permissions granted to or
revoked from the subject user. Granted or revoked permissions preferably
include modifications to the indication of the predetermined range of the
quality value or changes in communication permissions, for example
increases or decreases in a number of permitted sent or received SMS
messages, or duration of telephone calls made by the subject user mobile
device 40. Coinciding with transmitting indications of communication
permissions granted to or revoked from the subject user, the management
API 18 preferably transmits instructions to a communications
infrastructure 52 of a telecommunications carrier to implement changes in
communication permissions associated with the subject user mobile device
40 consistent with the indication of a reward. The indication of a reward
may alternatively include digital goods awarded to the subject user such
as mobile device ringtones and application content, or indications of
redeemable value such as a coupons or gift certificate codes which may be
redeemed at predetermined establishments, for example online or physical
stores. The reward engine 22 may be configured to automously generate and
transmit through the management API 18 digital goods or indications of
redeemable value to the subject user mobile device 40, or alternatively,
the management API 18 may request and receive digital goods or
indications of redeemable value from one or more remote value servers 56
configured to generate and transmit digital goods or indications of
redeemable value.

[0025]The location server 12 via the management API 18 may alternatively
transmit an indication to a remote value server 56 to transmit value from
or to a first account associated with the overseer user to or from a
second account associated with the subject user if the location
information indicates that the subject user mobile device 40 has entered
or exited, or failed to enter or exit, depending on preferences of an
overseeing user, a geographic area corresponding to a quality value
falling within the predetermined range. The remote value server 56 in
such instance may include a banking server of a bank, or alternatively, a
server of another monetary or non-monetary value managing entity, for
example a server managing store credit, store coupon distribution, or
digital goods distribution. The indication of a reward transmitted to the
subject user mobile device 40 may include an indication of value
transferred from or to the account associated with the subject user or an
indication of redeemable value such as a coupon or gift certificate code.

[0026]Referring to FIG. 2, a plan view is shown of an example city
streetscape 60 in which the system including the location server 12 is
implemented. The streetscape 60 includes city blocks 62 separated by
streets 64 permitting travel of vehicles 66. Various structures are
provided on the city blocks 62 including homes 68, commercial
establishments 70, playgrounds 72, a school 74, and a library 76. In this
example, the location server 12 receives from a plurality of users
through the management API 18 indications of geographic areas 80, 82, 84,
86 including ratings. The geographic areas 80, 82, 84, 86 correspond
respectively to a commercial establishment 70, a city block 62, a home
68, and a neighborhood including homes 68 and a school 74. The
indications of the geographic areas 80, 82, 84, 86 are preferably
received from the contributing user clients 32 as an indication of an
address, a rating for the address, and a manner of associating a
geographic area with the address, wherein the management API 18 provides
the contributing user clients 32 with a plurality of predetermined
selectable manners of associating a geographic area with a rated address.

[0027]A first preferred user-selectable manner in which a geographic area
is to be associated with a rated address includes defining the geographic
area by a radius extending from an approximate center of a rated address,
as shown for example by the first geographic area 80, which is a circular
area having center at an approximate center of the property of the
underlying commercial establishment 70. A second preferred
user-selectable manner in which a geographic area is to be associated
with a rated address includes defining an area by a perimeter of a block
62 on which the rated address is located, as shown for example by the
second geographic area 82. A third preferred user-selectable manner in
which an area is to be associated with a rated address includes defining
an area by a perimeter of a property corresponding to the entered address
or a structure on the property, as shown for example by the third
geographic area 84. A fourth preferred user-selectable manner in which an
area is to be associated with a rated address includes defining an area
by a predetermined neighborhood boundary within which the address is
located, as shown for example by the fourth geographic area 86. In
addition to receiving indications of geographic areas through designation
of addresses, the indications of the geographic areas may be received as
rated streets, neighborhoods, cities or any suitably definable region.
The mapping engine 20 is preferably configured to use stored streetscape
data to generate a geographic area based on the rated address and the
selected manner in which a geographic area is to be associated with the
rated address.

[0028]The mapping engine 20 determines a quality value for each of the
geographic areas 80, 82, 84, 86 based on ratings for those geographic
areas received from a plurality of contributing users through the
contributing user clients 30. The mapping engine 20 is preferably further
configured to determine a quality value for a particular geographic area
based on ratings received from contributing users which correspond to a
plurality of dissimilar geographic areas. For example, if one
contributing user provides a rating for the school 74, another
contributing user provides a rating for a street 64 adjacent to the
school 74, and another contributing user provides a rating for the
neighborhood 86 in which the school 74 is located, the mapping engine 20
may use the three ratings, preferably using a suitable weighted averaging
technique, to determine the quality value for the neighborhood 86.

[0029]The mapping engine 20 is further preferably configured to divide a
particular region into geographic areas of predetermined dimension and to
determine a quality value for each of the geographic areas in the
particular region based on indications of geographic areas received from
contributing users through contributing user clients 30. For example, in
the streetscape 60, the mapping engine 20 may determine a quality value
for each of the city blocks 62 or each of the streets 64. Referring to
FIG. 3, the mapping engine 20 may alternatively divide the streetscape 60
into neighborhoods 86, 88, 90, 92 and determine the quality value of each
of the neighborhoods 86, 88, 90, 92. The management API 18 can receive an
indication of a desired predetermined range of the quality value from an
overseeing user through an overseer user client 32. The management API 18
can further transmit an indication to the overseeing user via the
overseer user client 32 if the location information indicates that the
subject user mobile device 40 has entered or exited, or alternatively
failed to enter or exit, depending on a preference of the overseeing
user, ones of the neighborhoods 86, 88, 90, 92 corresponding to a quality
value falling within the indicated predetermined range. The management
API 18 further transmits an indication to the subject user mobile device
40 and the overseer user client 32 of the quality values of each of the
neighborhoods 86, 88, 90, 92 and an indication of which of the
neighborhoods 86, 88, 90, 92 correspond to a quality value falling within
the predetermined range.

[0030]Referring to FIG. 4, a computer implemented user contribution method
100 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is
shown. The method includes receiving identifying information from a
plurality of users (step 102) and receiving from the plurality of users
indications of one or more geographic areas (step 104). A quality value
of the one or more geographic areas is determined based on the
indications of one or more geographic areas from the plurality of users
(step 106), and the quality value is transmitted to one or more of the
plurality of users (step 108).

[0031]While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been described
in detail above, the invention is not limited to the specific embodiments
described above, which should be considered as merely exemplary. Further
modifications and extensions of the present invention may be developed,
and all such modifications are deemed to be within the scope of the
present invention as defined by the appended claims.